Helping Hands
by badly-knitted
Summary: Ryo comes home from work sore and aching, but tries to pretend he's alright. Set after the manga.


**Title:** Helping Hands

**Author:** badly-knitted

**Characters:** Ryo, Bikky, Dee.

**Rating:** G

**Setting:** After the manga.

**Summary:** Ryo comes home from work sore and aching, but tries to pretend he's alright.

**Written Using:** The tw100 prompt 'Tense'.

**Word Count:** 1004

**Disclaimer:** I don't own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.

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Arriving home from work, Ryo winced as he peeled off his jacket, hanging it up one-handed before trudging across the lounge and sinking wearily onto the sofa. He let his head fall back and closed his eyes, rubbing absently at his right shoulder. It was the one he'd dislocated a few months earlier, and every so often something would start it aching, the muscles tensing up and going into spasm.

"Ryo? You okay?"

Opening his eyes and raising his head, Ryo took in his foster son, standing in front of him, a worried expression on his face. He managed a hopefully reassuring smile.

"I'm fine, my shoulder's just aching a bit that's all. The physiotherapist said that could happen if it got jarred. It can take a while for the stretched muscles and ligaments to heal completely."

"That's gotta suck. Is there anything I can do?"

"Not really. I should probably go take a shower; the hot water sometimes helps." Hauling himself to his feet, Ryo went into his bedroom to fetch some fresh clothes then headed for the bathroom. Bikky listened to the shower running for a moment then came to a decision, picking up the phone and dialling Dee's number.

"Laytner."

"Dee?"

"Hey, squirt. What's up?"

"Did Ryo hurt his shoulder again?"

"He didn't say anything to me, but he's a dumbass when it comes to things like that, doesn't want to worry me. We had a bit of a wrestlin' match earlier with some jerk who thought resistin' arrest would be a good idea, so that might'a aggravated things. Is it actin' up again?"

"Seems like it. He's gone to take a shower, see if that helps, but I just wanted to check it was the old injury and not something new. He doesn't like worrying me either."

"Typical. The idiot fusses over everyone else, but God forbid he should ever let on when he could use a little TLC himself. Tell ya what, I'll come over, bring some painkillers and somethin' for dinner, save him tryin' to cook tonight. Okay?"

Much as Bikky often resented Dee for always being around, monopolising Ryo's attention, there were times when he had his uses.

"Sure, okay. Get something Ryo can eat one-handed though."

"You mean get pizza, right?"

"Pizza would work I guess." Bikky tried to sound indifferent but deep down he knew he wasn't fooling Dee.

"Guess you'll be wantin' the usual then. See ya in a bit."

"Yeah, 'kay."

When Ryo finally emerged from the bathroom, dressed in comfortable casuals, he looked a bit better; at least he wasn't moving so gingerly.

"Did the hot water help?" Bikky asked, ushering his foster father back over to the sofa again. "I made you a cup of tea." He'd set it to brewing when he'd heard the shower turn off.

"Thank you." Ryo sank onto the sofa again and took the mug the boy held out to him, sipping cautiously. "I think it helped a little." His shoulder still felt tense and achy, but the headache he'd felt coming on seemed to have subsided. He was glad to be home; it had been a stressful day and what he needed most of all was to relax. "Have you done your homework?" There were still schoolbooks scattered across the coffee table.

"Most of it, just got to write an essay for English. I left it 'til last 'cause it's the easiest to do. We're supposed to write about something that makes us happy."

Ryo laughed. "Not a difficult topic I guess." He knew nothing made Bikky happier than playing basketball. "You'd better get on with it though; I'll have to start fixing dinner soon."

Bikky wondered if he should say something, but in the end he didn't need to; not much more than five minutes later the door opened and Dee came sauntering in as if he owned the place.

"Hey!" he greeted his lover, strolling over to the sofa and leaning down for a quick kiss. "How's the shoulder doin'?"

Ryo frowned. "What d'you mean?"

"Don't give me that, babe; I know it's actin' up again, I'm not stupid. Wrestlin' that moron earlier couldn't have done it any good. Did ya take anything for it yet?"

Ryo blushed faintly. "Uh, no. I ran out of painkillers last week." He'd taken the last two for a headache and had been so busy since that he hadn't gotten around to picking up more.

"Good thing I got these on my over then." Dee produced a fresh pack from his pocket. "I'll fetch ya a glass of water so ya can take a couple." He started for the kitchen, calling back over his shoulder, "Oh, and I took the liberty of orderin' pizza; should be here soon. That way ya won't have to cook. Then after we eat, I'll give ya a shoulder rub, see if I can't undo some of those knots for ya."

Dee was back in moments with the water, popping two pills out of the pack into Ryo's hand and checking the time. "If you have these now you can take two more before ya go to bed."

"Thanks, Dee." Ryo gulped the pills down and sank back against the sofa cushions again.

"Anytime. But in future, when you're hurtin', don't try to pretend you're not. I worry, and so does the kid. Tryin' to hide things from us only makes us worry more."

Ryo smiled wryly, accepting defeat. "Okay, I promise; no more trying to hide things from you and Bikky."

"We're gonna hold ya to that, right Biks?"

"Yep!"

There was a knock on the door and Dee headed to answer it, pulling his wallet out as he went. "That'll be our dinner, right on time. Good thing too; I'm starvin'."

Ryo smiled to himself; as much as he hated having to worry the people he loved the most, it felt good to be looked after. He knew he was lucky to have two such special people in his life.

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The End


End file.
